Swimming through the ashes of another life
by midnight darkness2012
Summary: some different from the crow but still staying mostly the same... five years since the murder of her friends, but still there's no real reason to accept the way things have changed. devoting her life to find the snakes who slaughtered her best friends...
1. chapter 1

A fire burning in the fireplace, a dresser with a large mirror with candles lit scattered on top of it, with makeup sitting open, pictures of the past slowly being thrown into the fire, with a stereo screeching into the empty decrepit studio apartment. A man sat in the floor in front of the fire, reminiscing of what seemed like a past life. Shaking all over he came in contact with a picture of a beautiful woman and a man, he used to be that man, he used to have it all, only now that he realized it, it was already too late. All the little things, how they should have been more important in the relationship he had, he couldn't believe how he acted like such a jerk to everyone who he loved. Now God was paying him back, or so he thought,

"Kate, I'm...," the man uttered out of his black-painted lips as he gently touched the picture of the woman, he couldn't bring himself to apologize, he already knew it was too late for apologies or to ever make it up to her. The man sat there holding pictures, of the past, he didnt even look like this man in the pictures he held. His lips were now painted black with long black lines extending out as if he were expressing a dark sadistic smile, the rest of his face was white except for his eyes, they were black with lines stretching from halfway up his forehead to the middle of his cheeks... almost like a dead mime.

"Whatever happened to the young man's heart?" the stereo screeched

The man turned and stared at the stereo,

"It was shattered to pieces and put back together with hate and revenge," the man now standing on his feet, he jerked around and stared at the apartment door. The door opened, a young woman who didnt look old enough to be on the police force walked in wearing a police uniform.

"Hello, is anyone here," the woman having a gun in her hands ready to fire, she checked out the apartment, when she was sure it was safe she lowered her gun and started looking around. After five years no one was brave enough to rent the misfortuned apartment, or the whole floor for that matter.

"This place looks creepy after what happened here, no one is ever going to rent this place, there's still bloodstains on the floor." That was the young police officer's guess to why no one was staying in the apartment, to her knowledge the landlord hadn't the courage to come up and check out the place. First she saw the dresser with candles scattered everywhere along with some makeup that had been opened.

"Brandon, are you here?" she realized what she had just said and laughed at herself.

"I'm going crazy, you can't be here, the dead can't come back," she shook her head and noticed the smell of the recent burning pictures. The police officer slowly walked towards the fireplace that was still smoldering,

"Swimming through the ashes of another life" the stereo still blaring

she bent down and saw a picture that had barely scraped by the fire, she gently picked up the picture, her eyes quickly swelled with tears. It was the picture of her two best friends,

"Brandon..., I'm going to get them, every last one of them… for you and Kate," the young woman turning around and walking to the stereo, just as she reached out to turn the annoying music off,

"Send a message to the unborn child

Keep your eyes open for a while

In a box high up on the shelf, left for you, no one else"

The young woman was confused, but then she remembered the box, she turned to the shelf, she saw a medium sized box made from teak wood.

"Brandon," the woman afraid to open the box, scared of the past slapping her in the face, finally she gently brought the box down from the spot on the shelf where it had been collecting dust over the years. Holding the box tightly she sat down in the floor and ever so gently, as if it were made of glass, sat the box on the floor, she took a deep breath and slowly opened the box. Just as she feared, her tears overflowed, her cheeks were drowning in the salty wetness that rained down from her eyes. The box had served as Kate's and Brandon's memory box, things that served a purpose in both of their lives were in this fine wooden box. Brandon's favorite guitar picks and Kate's book of wedding dresses, all of the plans for their wedding that never took place, Brandon's newest songs that he had written for the band he used to play in, a little handful of pictures of Kate, Brandon, and herself. Slowly she pulled out Kate's journal, Kate had wrote something for her and Brandon's little ceremony they had that was interrupted by their deaths, the young woman read it outloud:

"I've lived a thousand life times to find a soul like yours

A soul so pure

A soul so brave

An angel who takes my breath away

I want to lie with you forever

My passion knows no bounds

I want to shield you from all evil

Protect this love we have found."

She slammed the book closed and put everything back into the box and ran out, she jumped into her car and sped to work.

"I knew I shouldn't have came here, I couldn't even bare to go to the funeral," beating herself up with words because she was in more pain since she had came to the ghastly apartment building. She didnt want closure, she didnt want to believe that she had lost the last bit of 'family' she had, but something in the back of her mind urged her to come. The man who had been there before was perched up on the building top watching her speed away, he hung his head,

"I'm... sorry," he whispered as a crow landed on his shoulder and squawked.


	2. At the station

"You're late Ashley," one of the guys noticing,

"Back off Mike, today is not a good day to joke with me," Ashley trying to shake some of the rain off of her but she was soaked to the bone, she pulled out the box,

"What's in the box?" Mike asked following her to her office.

"Memories, things that could never be replaced," Ashley taking her coat off,

"Are you going to bite my head off if I ask you what's wrong?" Mike sitting across from her. Ashley stared at the box on her desk, she lowered her eyes and cleared her throat,

"Its been five years to the day, my best friends, today makes the fifth anniversary," Ashley choking out the words, Mike came around her desk and hugged her.

"I'm sorry," Mike rubbing her back,

"They were family, not a damn one of their killers are behind bars, and I have no idea who I am looking for," Ashley harshly as she trembled with rage.

"Hang on a minute I have something for you," Mike leaving her office, a few minutes later he came back with a folder,

"Here, maybe this will help," Mike giving it to her, Ashley looked at the name of the file; Murder of Kate and Brandon.

"Mike, you could get into deep shit over this," Ashley seriously,

"That's why you had better hurry up and copy it, go on, hurry up," Mike shutting her office door, she jumped out of her chair and ran to the copier in her office, she copied everything in the file, she walked quickly over to the desk and gave him the file,

"Thank you Mike, it helps," Ashley smirked.

"That's what friends are for, you know, if you don't want to be alone tonight, I could come over and fix you some dinner or bring some take out," Mike shrugs, Ashley smirked again,

"I think I'll be fine, besides I've been trying to come up with things from the murder to see if I can link anyone to this," Ashley seriously as she slowly took out a picture.

"I have a frame for that if you want it, its in my desk," Mike being nice,

"Yeah, thanks, you might want to take that file back before they find it missing," Ashley seriously,

"No worries," Mike smiling, Ashley tried to smile but it was more of a smirk. Mike left, by the time he came back with the picture frame Ashley was running out with her partner,

"I'll go ahead and put your picture in it and put it on your desk," Mike giving Ashley's partner an ugly look.

"Thanks Mike, be back in a few," Ashley running out.


	3. On the road

"So what were you and the scrawny little twerp talking about," her nosey partner asked,

"Just because we are partners you don't have to know every bit of information I tell my friends, and just so you know Mike happens to be a good friend of mine, but of course you wouldn't know anything about that because you are an arrogant little bastard, you probably don't even know how to be a friend, how the hell did I get a partner like you…I really don't know," Ashley always being irritated around him.

"Look, I am the way I am, you took this job for a reason, so did I," her partner harshly,

"So, Jake, what kind of call is this?" Ashley asked,

"It's a domestic, look, I know you are in some kind of a mood today but can you try to leave it in the car, I'm your partner, I have to trust you, just like you're my partner and you have to trust me, I don't want to die today, okay, watch my back and I watch yours, deal?" Jake having his hand out to shake, Ashley looked at him, she looked at his hand and shook hands.

"Come on, we're here," Jake parking the car, as they slowly walked up to the house shots were fired, Jake and Ashley ran back to the car and hid behind the door,

"Damn, that's one pissed off male," Jake holding his shoulder,

"I've got your back," Ashley getting beside him and glancing to see where the guy was, Ashley shot, she got the guy in the shoulder,

"You bitch!" the man screamed, Ashley quickly ran up to the guy, she put her foot on the guy's chest and held her gun on him.

"Where's my backup Jake," Ashley screamed,

"Don't bust my eardrum," Jake jerking the guy up and cuffing him,

"You are alright…for a girl," Jake taking the guy to the car.

"Yeah, I guess you are alright…for an arrogant little bastard," Ashley checking the house, everyone was okay but bruised up pretty bad. Ashley made sure no one didn't need to go the hospital, she walked back out to the car,

"I'm driving," Ashley smirking. Jake threw her the keys,

"I'll fix that at the station," Ashley driving back to the station.


	4. back at the station

-1"Damn, what happened to you guys," Mike smiling at Jake, Jake growled,

"He didn't want to come peacefully," Ashley shoving the over to Mike, Jake already had his uniform top off. Ashley led him into her office, she kept a first aid kit in her drawer, she pulled open the drawer and grabbed the kit and sat it on her desk and opened it up, Jake pulled his white t-shirt off and laid it in the floor right by the chair. Ashley picked up his shirt and drenched it in alcohol, she glanced up at his shoulder, she kind of got turned on by him, his arms were huge with muscles.

"Good thing it was a clean shot, I'd be having to dig the bullet out," Ashley putting his shirt on his wound, he groaned and held her hand on his shirt that was drenched in alcohol.

"Hold that on there, I need to get the needle ready," Ashley trying to pull her hand away, he held strong.

"Answer one question, why did you join the force," Jake seriously, Ashley jerked around and stared him down, she threw him an old paper, his grip loosened on her hand.

"This, because they committed suicide together?" Jake confused, Ashley was sterilizing the needle,

"They didn't kill each other, nor did Brandon kill Kate and then kill himself, they had their fights but they were murdered, I was there, I saw Brandon being thrown through the window, I saw people running from the building, I know it wasn't a suicide," Ashley sternly.

"Then why didn't you tell them that in your statement?" Jake sitting up more, Ashley shook her head,

"I did, but I couldn't point out the guys in a lineup, I was too far away from the building to see any faces, so I guess that's why they wrote it up as a suicide," Ashley strongly. Slowly Jake pulled himself up from the chair and walked over to her, he put his hand on her shoulder,

"I'll help you get these bastards," Jake gripping her shoulder,

"You don't believe me, you want to believe what's in print, so how are you going to help me?" Ashley still upset, she jerked away from him,

"The reason why I joined the force," Jake finally giving her his shirt.

"What reason would that be Jake, oh wait, we don't talk about you, and why is that Jake, what are you hiding, what painful event sent you here?" Ashley harshly,

"Hey chill out Ashley, you wanna fix my shoulder or not?" Jake sternly.

"Sit in the chair, I'll fix it," Ashley gritting her teeth, Jake sat down, she came over with the sterilized needle and started sewing his shoulder up.

"My girl, her father paid someone to kill her, no one has been able to pin him with it," Jake staring out the window.

"Who's her father?" Ashley asked,

"Crunch," Jake glancing at her, Ashley dropped the shirt she still held in her hand,

"Crunch, I wonder if he was in on Brandon's and Kate's murder, I'm sorry about your girl," Ashley staring up at him.

"Look, you might get off on talking about your friend's deaths but I don't, are you going to fix this," Jake growing inpatient.

"I don't get off on talking about them, talking about it helps me bring it into life, it makes me feel better instead of bottling it up, besides, how am I to find who did this if I bottle it up and never talk about it?" Ashley starting to work more on his shoulder.

"So, that's why you act the way you do, you cant afford to love again," Ashley finally knowing why he acted so arrogant and stuck up.

"Don't know what you are talking about," Jake grabbing the arms of the chair, Ashley saw his arms flexing and got turned on more. An eerie silence filled the room,

"So, where did you learn this kind of stuff?" Jake coming up with something new to talk about,

"I went to college for a while, I was going to be a nurse, till my friends were killed," Ashley explained.

"Why are you in this really bad mood today?" Jake wanting to know where it was coming from, Ashley growled a little,

"It's been five years to the day since they were killed, today is the anniversary, that's why I'm in a mood, they were my best friends, the only true family I ever had, my mother was around but she was always drinking and doing drugs, she never had time for me," Ashley shrugged.

"Do you ever see her now," Jake questioned,

"Um, no, she died when I was 16, and when I was 18 I lost my friends, but I was a good kid, I was very gifted, I was smart and I went to college when I was 17 and I quit college and came here," Ashley spacing out.

"Ash, come back to me," Jake grabbing her arm, Ashley looked at him, her eyes were starting to water,

"Hang on, I got something in my eye," Ashley jerking her head away,

"So, why don't you let anyone see you cry," Jake asked,

"It's a weakness in my book," Ashley turning back around and finishing his shoulder then wrapping it, she made a sling for his arm.

"Thanks Ash, for this and for having my back, just so you know, crying isn't always a weakness," Jake whispered in her ear, she closed her eyes tightly,

"Just for the future, I'll always have your back," Ashley halfway smiling,

" And I shall always return that favor, if you need me tonight don't hesitate to call," Jake seriously.

"Thanks, hope you got another shirt," Ashley throwing him the bloody shirt,

"I always bring a backup one," Jake smirking.

"Oh, you'll need to change that bandage before you go to sleep," Ashley explained.

"Alright," Jake saluting her, she laughed little, Jake left her office, Ashley sat down on top of her desk, she stared at the box, she didn't know if she would be able to look in it again. The boss came into her office, she jerked up from her desk,

"I can explain about…" Ashley being interrupted,

"Jake said you did a good job out there today, I'm proud of you, my little police woman is kicking some butt," the boss shaking her hand.

"Um, thanks, so, what you got for me?" Ashley knowing he had brought her more paperwork,

"Well since Jake cant do any kind of paperwork, here you go, its all his paperwork plus the new guy's paperwork that you guys brought in," the boss smirking.

"Gee, I guess this is the reward I get for saving Jake's ass?" Ashley trying to laugh at the stack of paperwork the boss had thrown on her desk,

"Yep, congrats," the boss patting her on the back.

"Today is just not my day, hey, there wouldn't be any leads Brandon's and Kate's killer, would they," Ashley asked.

"That's a cold case, there wasn't much to go on the case, the guy who done it grew wings and flew out of the six story window, he killed himself right after killing his girlfriend," the boss leaving her office before she could fight him on it.

"Or so everyone thinks except for me," Ashley sitting there thinking,

"The gun, I have got to see that gun," Ashley thinking there might be other prints on it.


End file.
